India: LHF Shares CPH Catechisms with the Poor May 28, 2019

Dharavi slum in Mumbai

People living in the slums of Mumbai, India, are among the poorest in the world. More than a dozen people often crowd into a single room to sleep, and there typically is no indoor plumbing.

Public restrooms dump human waste directly into the rivers (pictured at left).

“It is the dream of every Indian parent to get an English education for their children,” said Cherub Sundaram, LHF’s project coordinator in India. “Many of the students (shown in the header) are the children of laborers who migrated from various parts of the country, in search of jobs in Mumbai. They are in an everyday struggle for their livelihood, and they cannot provide for their children’s education.”

Lutheran churches and other non-profit organizations are helping provide this English education to the poorest residents in the Mumbai slums.

In February, students at an educational support center run by one of the Lutheran churches received a precious resource: Luther’s Small Catechism in the English language. One hundred thousand catechisms have been sent to India for distribution, thanks to a gift to LHF from Concordia Publishing House (CPH) in honor of LHF’s recent 25th anniversary.

“The joy that I had while distributing these catechisms in the last couple of days is still with me, and I keep cherishing the moments. God’s work is marvelous in our eyes!” Cherub said.

The students have promised to read their catechisms every day, and the instructor is also following up in his teaching.

“The catechism answers many questions that are bothering people, and that’s why it’s a powerful tool for evangelism,” Cherub reflected. “It gives Biblical truths with an order to them. This is a great gift from CPH to LHF, and the book is welcomed and cherished by Indian Lutherans in particular, and Indian Christians in general!”

Only with your help can this important work continue. Prayerfully consider how you can help support LHF projects.